OpenAI's ChatGPT chatbot and video game platform Roblox will be subject to tighter regulatory oversight in the European Union after they surpassed the threshold of 45 million monthly active users in the bloc, Bloomberg reports, reports Focus.
The European Commission is expected to formally designate them as “very large online platforms“ (VLOPs) in August, which would put them under the same scrutiny regime that already applies to companies like Meta and X.
Under the Digital Services Act (DSA), platforms in this category are required to submit regular transparency reports, take measures to limit systemic risks, conduct impact assessments and pay an annual fee to the European Commission. In case of violations, the penalties can reach 6% of the company's annual global turnover.
The DSA obliges online platforms to limit the distribution of illegal and harmful content, with the requirements being significantly stricter for the largest services.
So far, the European Commission has launched more than a dozen investigations into leading technology companies under the law. Brussels' regulatory approach has drawn criticism from the administration of US President Donald Trump, which has accused the EU of restricting American technology companies.
The European Commission also recently imposed a fine of nearly 890 million euros on Google for violating European rules on digital markets.